What Is PID??
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, otherwise known as PID, is a very common STI. It is most commonly found in teenage and young women. On this webpage, you will learn all about PID from symptoms to prevention, and everything in between. PID is the "aftermath", or an effect, of other STIs in your system. If they are not treated, PID is likely to show up. Whether or not you have symptoms, PID can be a nasty infection.
How Is PID Spread?PID is spread with and like other STIs. It is spread by having multiple partners and/or using no protection. Before having sexual intercourse with a new partner, have them tested and get tested yourself to ensure there is no risk of contracting PID or another STI from one another. If you want to learn how to prevent PID, refer to the "Can I Prevent PID?" section.
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Can I Prevent PID?Yes, the best way to prevent PID is to remain abstinent. This is staying away from all forms of sex, including oral, anal, and vaginal. There are other ways to prevent PID, such as using condoms, but those aren't 100% effective like abstinent. PID cannot be directly contracted from a partner, but from other STIs.
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Can PID Be Treated?Of course. PID can be treated by the simple process of taking prescription antibiotics for 2-3 weeks. These antibiotics are called ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and metrodinazole. These antibiotics are specifically for the treatment and curing of PID. There are no shots or surgery involved in treating and curing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.
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Can PID Be Cured?Sure. PID is cured the same way as it is treated. The two processes overlap. You go to your doctor to be tested if you're curious or think you have PID, and if you have PID, your doctor will prescribe you ceftriaxone, doxycycline, or metrodinazole. Antibiotics like this will cure your PID, but will not reverse the effects already inflicted upon you.
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What Are the Symptoms of PID?
PID doesn't always show symptoms. In fact, most carriers do not show any signs of having PID. Generally, if symptoms sprout, they include:
- Pain in abdomen area
- Bitter-smelling/Odd-colored discharge
- Sexual intercourse induces pain upon the subject
- Spotting at any time (During or between periods)
- Fever and/or chills, vomiting and diarrhea (Flu-like symptoms
- Loss of appetite
- Trouble walking and pain in back
- Urination becomes painful and can also be more frequent
- Fallopian tubes, ovaries, and uterus may be scarred permanently
- Ectopic pregnancy (Egg develops in the wall of a fallopian tube)
- Infertility
- Tubo-ovarian abscess/TOA (A TOA is when the ovaries and Fallopian tubes build up fluids (As well as pus and bacteria). When a person has a TOA, it is very noticeable. They walk differently from the pain they're in and they look utterly sick. They generally have a fever along with the other symptoms. The only way to treat a TOA is to receive prescription drugs from from a doctor at a local hospital, and they may need to perform surgery to remove the abscess.)
What Age Groups Get PID the Most?PID is most commonly found in teenagers and young women. Considering most of the symptoms and effects are related to female organs, men don't get PID. They can spread it through other STIs, but they cannot contract PID.
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Where Can I Go to Treat PID?There are health centers all over the country that are able to cure any case of PID. Simply search the internet for health centers in your internet, and you will find one for sure. Here is a list of health centers near the Madison, Wisconsin area:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/findCenter.asp
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Sources
Site 1 – TeenHealth
http://teenshealth.org/teen/infections/#cat20173
Site 2 – Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex-101.htm
Site 3 – (Center for disease Control and Prevention)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm
http://teenshealth.org/teen/infections/#cat20173
Site 2 – Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex-101.htm
Site 3 – (Center for disease Control and Prevention)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm